Simple sugar starved lignocellulosic biomass enzyme production

Abstract

This specification discloses a process for producing at least one enzyme from a host cell for the hydrolysis of a first pre-treated ligno-cellulosic biomass under simple sugar starved conditions wherein the cultivation environment has very little, preferable no, simple sugars added other than those present in a ligno-cellulosic biomass used to feed and grow the host cell. The cultivation environment is substantially void of fermentation stimulators and inducers of enzyme production. Preferably, the cultivation environment has a high dry matter content of the pre-treated ligno-cellulosic biomass.

We claim: 
     
         1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A process which produces at least one enzyme from a host cell for the hydrolysis of a first pre-treated ligno-cellulosic biomass wherein said process comprises the step of cultivating the host cell which is capable of producing the at least one enzyme for a cultivation time, wherein the cultivation of the host cell occurs in a cultivation environment comprising
 the host cell which is  Penicillium  decumbens,   a second pre-treated ligno-cellulosic biomass comprising complex sugars; the cultivation is done under simple sugar starved conditions of having an amount of optionally added simple sugar or sugars in the range of 0 to 10% by weight of the cultivation environment on a dry basis for a portion of the cultivation time which is at least 50% of the cultivation time;   
       the cultivation environment is void of added vitamins, minerals, mineral salts, lactose and isopropyl 0-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside; and 
       the dry matter content by weight of the second pre-treated ligno-cellulosic biomass in the cultivation environment is higher than 4%. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 18 , wherein the dry matter content by weight of the second pre-treated ligno-cellulosic biomass in the cultivation environment is higher than a value selected from the group consisting of 6%, 8%, 10%, 15%. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 18 , wherein the portion of the cultivation time under simple sugar starved conditions is at least 75% of the cultivation time. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 20 , wherein the portion of the cultivation time under simple sugar starved conditions is at least 85% of the cultivation time. 
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the portion of the cultivation time under simple sugar starved conditions is at least 90% of the cultivation time. 
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein the portion of the cultivation time under simple sugar starved conditions is at least 95% of the cultivation time. 
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 23 , wherein the portion of the cultivation time under simple sugar starved conditions is at least 98% of the cultivation time. 
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 18 , wherein the portion of the cultivation time under simple sugar starved conditions is the same as the cultivation time. 
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 19 , wherein the portion of the cultivation time under simple sugar starved conditions is the same as the cultivation time. 
     
     
         27 . The process according to  claim 18 , wherein the amount of optionally added simple sugar or sugars is in the range of 0 to 5% by weight of the cultivation environment on a dry basis. 
     
     
         28 . The process according to  claim 18 , wherein the amount of optionally added simple sugar or sugars is in the range of 0 to 2.5% by weight of the cultivation environment on a dry basis. 
     
     
         29 . The process according to  claim 18 , wherein the amount of optionally added simple sugar or sugars is in the range of 0 to 2.0% by weight of the cultivation environment on a dry basis. 
     
     
         30 . The process according to  claim 18 , wherein the amount of optionally added simple sugar or sugars is in the range of 0 to 1.0% by weight of the cultivation environment on a dry basis. 
     
     
         31 . The process according to  claim 18 , wherein there is no optional added simple sugar or sugars in the cultivation environment. 
     
     
         32 . The process of  claim 18 , wherein the enzyme is harvested by removing the enzyme from the cultivation environment. 
     
     
         33 . The process of  claim 18 , wherein the enzyme is further used to hydrolyze the first ligno-cellulosic biomass and the first ligno-cellulosic biomass and the second pretreated ligno-cellulosic biomass both comprise ligno-cellulosic biomass derived from the same grass genus. 
     
     
         34 . The process of  claim 18 , wherein the enzyme is further used to hydrolyze the first ligno-cellulosic biomass and the first ligno-cellulosic biomass and the second pretreated ligno-cellulosic biomass are derived from the same grass species. 
     
     
         35 . The process of  claim 33 , wherein the first ligno-cellulosic biomass is pretreated prior to enzymatic hydrolysis. 
     
     
         36 . The process of  claim 34 , wherein the first ligno-cellulosic biomass is pretreated prior to enzymatic hydrolysis.